Scouring pad gripper and locking and manipulating device therefor



July 11, 1950 F. H. ELLINGER 2,514,481

SCOURING PAD GRIPPER AND LOCKING AND MANIPULATING DEVICE THEREFOR v Flled March 27 1948 INVENTOR.

suchas pots and pans.

Patented July 11, 1956 UNITED STATES PATENT. "OFFICE SCOURING PAD GRIPPER AND LOCKING AND MANIPULATING DEVICE THEREFOR 7 Flora H. Ellinger, Chicago, III.

Application March 2'7, 1948, Serial No'. 17,416

3 Claims.

to provide an improved scouring pad gripper 'and locking and manipulating device therefor which is extremely simple, durable, and compact in construction, and which is moreover highly efficient in use and flexible in its adaptations.

The average housewife often experiences considerable difilcultiy in manipulating wire mesh or cloth scouring pads, sponges; and the like during scrubbing or cleansing operations; and this is especially true when it is necessary to tightly grip the pad or sponge and to apply considerable pressure in order to remove any foreign matter and thoroughly cleanse diverse articles Furthermore, when wire mesh or steel wool pads areused in the customary manner for effecting removal of hardened or tacky substances from the surfaces of diverse objects, sharp wire ends protruding from the pad make it difficult and unpleasant for the housewife 'to effectively grip the scouring pad with her usually sensitive and delicate hands; and quite frequently these sharp protruding wire ends cause painful and infectious scratches or skin punctures.

Numerous instrumentalities for gripping these scouring pads for aiding in the manipulation thereof have heretofore been proposed, the ma- "and which is simple, compact and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, sanitary and efficient in use, and which may be readily and easily manipulated by a novice with safety and without the necessity of handling the scouring pad or scrubbing member.

It is, however, a more specific object of my present invention to provide an improved device which is readily applicable in a simple manner to scouring pad grippers ofthe type disclosed generally in my aboveeidentified .co-pending applica- 2 a tion to positively lock the clamping jaws thereof in operative position and to provide a convenient gripping handle for the manipulation thereof. I U

Another specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved scouring pad gripper and locking and manipulating device therefor which is exceedingly simple and compact in con; struction and which may be readily produced iin large quantities at lowcost.

Still another specific object of my present in vention is to provide an improved unitary device which may be easily applied by a novice to effec tively lock the clamping jaws of a scouring pad gripper and which serves also as a manipulating handle for the assemblage.

These and other specific objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of the features constituting my present improvement and of the mode of constructing and of utilizing, scouring pad grip? pers provided with my improved locking and manipulating device may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference chariacters'designate the same or similar'p'arts in the several views. 1 v L Fig. 1 is a side view of a typical improved scouring pad gripping implement showing a scouring pad clamped in place between the jaws thereof and with one of my improved locking and manipu lating devices applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the assemblage with the scouring pad removed from the jaws thereof} Fig. 3 is an endview of the assemblagevshow ing a scouring pad clamped in place between the jaws as in Fig. 1; f "T Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section through the scouring pad gripping implement with the locking and manipulating accessory and the pad removed therefrom and with the jaws in open position; g i a Fig. 5 is a somewhat reduced side view of a modified form of locking and manipulating device for securing pad grippers of the type shown in Figs. 1 to-4; and V Fig. 6 is similarly reduced end view of the device shown in Fig. 5. 7 While the invention has been shown and described herein as being specifically applied to, and adapted for use with, a scouring pad and gripping implement therefor of particular types, it is not my desire or intention to thereby unneces sarily restrict the scope or utility of the improve ment. r

Referring to the drawing, the typical improved scouring pad gripping implement with which my improved locking and manipulating device is intended to be used, comprises in general, a pair of clamping members or jaws 8 formed of sheet metal or the like and having arcuate flanges 9 at one end thereof, the arcuate flanges being provided with opposite integral end flaps I formed with cooperating .epivot points or notches H coaxial with the arcuate flanges 9 thereby forming an elongated dome-shaped portion, the clamping or jaw members 8 being also formed with cooperable inwardly directed gripping teeth I2 along the free or swingingend thereof.

In use without the aid of the locking and manipulating member to be hereinafter described, the clamping members or jaws .8 of the gripping implement may be readily swung apart about the pivot formed by the ccoperating'notches H, as shown in Fig. 4, until the teeth l2 are spread a sufficient-distance apart to effect a firm bite 'in the scouring pad l3 or the like. The open jaws 8 are then placed in contact with the pad 13, and the jaws may thereafter be swung about the pivots 11 toward closed position by application of pressure to the arcuate flanges 9, the teeth or serrations I2 "biting into the pad 13 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. As long as pressure is applied in an ob-vious'manner to the arcuate portions 9, thepad 13 will be firmly clamped by the jaws 8, and the device may be manipulated so'a's to rub and cleanse the desired surfaces with the pad; and when it is desired to remove the pad l3 from between the jaws 8, it is only necessary to release the pressure on thecooperat- 1 ing'arcuate portions 9 and spread the jaws 8 apartin an obvious manner.

My present invention further contemplates provision of an accessory for scouring pad gripping implements of the general type hereinabove described and comprises, in general, an elongated member designated generally by the numeral l4 bent or otherwise formed intermediate its ends to provide a gripping and manipulating portionl5 and alocking portion i6 disposed at an angle to the gripping portion, the locking portion It being provided with, or shaped in the 'form'of; a dependingtube or ring H split longitudinallyalong its lower face to form'a groove or slot, as at 18, to permit snug longitudinal reception of the dome or arcuate portions 9 of the pad gripping implement when the jaws 8 thereof are in substantially closed gripping position.

The locking and manipulating device may be readily formed of tubular sheet metal stock, as

disclosed in Figs. '1 to 3, with a wedge-shaped section removed, as at 2|, from its medial por- *tion and 'withthe opposite ends 1-5, l't'bent back at 'an angle to each other, the end of the tubular gripping portion Hbeing closed, as at 22, in an obvious manner. The lower groove IS in the ring or tube section H should be of sufiicient -width to snugly coact with the narrowed portion of the jaws '8 immediately adjacent the arcuate flanges 9 of the clamping implement when the jaws are substantially closed, and'this ring or tube section H is formed of spring steel-or the like so that looking pressure is constantly exerted upon the clamping jaws -8 when the locking and manipulating device M is applied.

Referring particularly to the modified form of locking and manipulating device 14' shown in Figs. 5 and 6, this device comprises, in general, an elongated tubular locking portion 16' having arcuate side sections removed therefrom to provide spaced depending ring portions I! split at the lower faces thereof, as indicated by the numeral I8, to permit snug longitudinal reception of the dome 9 of the pad gripping implement, one end of the portion i6 being bent as at IE to provide a flange for receiving a gripping handle t9, the handle l9 being detachably secured to the flange IS in any suitable manner as by means of a threaded end shank 20 cooperable with a receiving socket in the flange IS.

The improved device may be readily applied,

manipulated, and removed in an obvious manner, and is extremely simple in construction and endcient .in use. .After the jaws 8 of the gripping implementare swung toward closed position with "the teeth I2 thereof in biting engagement with the pad 13, it is only necessary to slide the split tube or rings I! or l1 longitudinally over the dome 'formed by the arcuate flanges 9 of the gripping implement, and the jaws Swill be maintained or locked in clamping or biting engagement with the pad f3 is'an-obvious manner. The user may-then manipulate thescouring pad [3 by gripping the handle portion I 5 or .I 9; andwhen it is desired to remove the scouring pad !3 from the jaws 58, it "is merely necessary to slide the tube or rings 11.01 H longitudinally from the dome formed by the flanges .9 and thereafter spread the jaws 8 in an obvious manner.

From the foregoing detailed description, it is apparent that my :present invention contemplates provision of an improved scouring pad gripping implement and a docking and manipulating device itherefor which are extremely simple in construction, efficient in use, and economical to manufacture. Both the scouring pad gripper and the locking and manipulating accessory may :be-readily formedin an obvious manner of sheet :me'tal'or the :like, and-the device maybe manipuilated without danger :of injury. Devices manufactured :in accordance with the invention may be produced .at-low cost to the user, and they :are simple, compact, durable and sanitary. While the improved devices have been shown and described herein as particularly :useful with :a specificztype of scouring pad, and a specific type of improved gripping implement lhasbeen shown and described vin-idetail, they may obviously be :utilized to good advantage with :pads of cloth :or rubber :or the likeza-nd the gripping element :and locking accessory could of course be modifled without departing from the spirit of the in- 'vention.

It should therefore be understood that it fiS not desired or intended to limit this :invention to the exactdetails-of. construction or to the pre- ..cise mode of use herein shown and described,

for various *modifications'withi-n the scope of the claims .mayoccur to personsskilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

I claim:

1. A scouring pad gripping implement comprising, a pair-of elongated jaw members having inwardly directed cooperable teeth formed along one side thereof and adapted to grip a scouring 'padtherebetween, said jawmembers each having a longitudinal arcuate upwardly projecting flange remote from said teeth and extending longitudinally beyond the 'oppositeends thereof and being pivotally united to :each other at their extreme extended end :portions to form a manipulating dome and to permit swinging movement of said jaw "members relative to each other.

2. A scouring .pad gripping implement comprising, azpair of elongated jaw membershaving inwardly directed cooperable teeth formed along one side thereof and adapted to grip a scouring pad therebetween, said jaw members each having a, longitudinal arcuate upwardly projecting flange remote from said teeth and extending longitudinally beyond the opposite ends thereof and being pivotally united to each other at their extreme extended end portions to form a manipulating dome and to permit swinging movement of said jaw members relative to each other, and a locking and manipulating element for said jaw members having a tubular portion longitudinally applicable to said dome and provided with a handle extending longitudinally away from one end of said tubular portion and providing a stop for said dome.

3. A scouring pad gripping implement comprising, a pair of elongated jaw members having inwardly directed cooperable teeth formed along one side thereof and adapted to grip a, scouring pad therebetween, said jaw members each having a longitudinal arcuate upwardly projecting flange remote from said teeth and extending longitudinally beyond the opposite ends thereof and being pivotally united to each other at their extreme extended end portions to form a manipulating dome and to permit swinging movement of said jaw members relative to each other, and a locking and manipulating element for said jaw members having a tubular portion longitudinally applicable to said dome and provided with a handle inclined upwardly and extending longitudinally away from one end of said tubular portion and providing a stop for said dome.

FLORA H. ELLINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 136,310 Devlan Feb. 25, 1873 1,143,090 Stieffel June 15, 1915 2,294,186 Kirschbaum Aug. 25, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 335,543 France Sept. 24, 1903 173,668 Switzerland Mar. 16, 1935 

